Ramadan Business Insights: A Guide To Meaningful Customer Engagement
By Alain Mayni, Head of Tech, Media, Telecom & Professional Services in MENA at Meta.
As the holy month of Ramadan draws near, 2 billion Muslims around the world eagerly anticipate a period of spiritual introspection and communal unity. Many describe it as a ‘reset button’ – a time when people reevaluate their habits and strengthen their connections with their family and community. During this moment of reflection, businesses worldwide are faced with a critical question - how can they respectfully engage with their customers and season’s spirit of giving and coming together.
In the image above: Alain Mayni, Head of Tech, Media, Telecom & Professional Services in MENA at Meta
Discovery Mindset
According to the latest 2023 YouGov study commissioned by Meta1 to study online behaviors of Ramadan observers, over three-quarters (¾) of Ramadan observers globally change their habits during Ramadan, while 72% tend to look at new sources of information. The number is even higher in the UAE and KSA, reaching almost 80% in both markets2. This openness also has an impact on the so-called “discovery mindset”, with 72% of consumers in the UAE browsing Facebook and Instagram for shopping inspiration during Ramadan3. For businesses, this discovery leads to more than sales. The more personalized an ad is, the stronger the connection point that it creates stacking up to a meaningful, durable relationship between a business and its customers. Today, AI-powered ad tools like Meta’s Advantage+ can help businesses optimize their ad personalization efforts and give a noticeable boost to a campaign driving up to a 32% increase in return on ad spend 4.
Connecting through Storytelling
There are more ways than ever to create meaningful connections this Ramadan. With brand storytelling tools such as Reels, branded content, in-stream video, and AR masks, businesses can bring communities together through rich and immersive experiences. According to a 2022 study by Meta, 65% of Ramadan observers spend more time watching videos during Ramadan and Eid 5. A Meta-commissioned Global Consumer Short-Form Video Survey by Factwork6 also revealed that Reels are highly effective when it comes to attracting new customers with three-quarters (¾) of respondents having followed a business after watching its Reels on Instagram. With that in mind, adding ads on Reels helps brands supercharge their results. As part of Meta’s larger performance ecosystem, Reel ads are powered by AI leading to much better outcomes. For instance, during Ramadan 2023 Maggi Arabia marketing team effectively leveraged ads on Reels to showcase their products and recipes in a fun, entertaining, and highly shareable way leading to a 9.9% increase in ad recall.
Partnering with creators
The influence of creators in social media discovery during Ramadan has steadily risen. Today, creators are more than channels — they offer creativity, authenticity, and impactful connections with audiences, translating into real business outcomes. A YouGov study commissioned by Meta highlighted this shift, revealing that 71% of Facebook and Instagram users have taken a shopping action influenced by creator content7. In the Middle East, particularly in the UAE and KSA, top creator categories during Ramadan cater to audience interests in health, fitness, food, and celebrity content.
Strengthening connection with business messaging
Having real conversations with customers is essential to growing your business. However, as fewer people shop offline, many businesses forget about this powerful tool. At the same time, 65% of consumers prefer messaging a business instead of calling or emailing, and 3 in 4 agree that messaging apps build business relationships, especially for Gen Z 8. For many, instant messaging provides a more accessible way to communicate with businesses: 67% of Ramadan observers in the UAE feel more connected to a brand through instant messaging.
By understanding and adapting to the evolving needs of consumers during Ramadan, businesses can truly make a lasting impact and build meaningful connections that endure beyond the six weeks.
1 "Meta Ramadan Study" by YouGov (Meta-commissioned online study of 8329 people aged 16+ across 6 markets: AE, DE, GB, SA, SE, TR). December 2023. Non-representative boosts of Muslim respondents have also been included for GB, SE, DE.
2 "Meta Ramadan Study" by YouGov (Meta-commissioned online study of 8329 people aged 16+ across 6 markets: AE, DE, GB, SA, SE, TR). December 2023. Non-representative boosts of Muslim respondents have also been included for GB, SE, DE.
3 "Meta Ramadan Moment Study" by YouGov (Meta-commissioned online study of 13,232 people aged 18+ across 9 markets: AE, BD, EG, ID, MY, NG, PK, SA, TR). Minimum N=1500 per market, May 2022.
4 "Meta internal study on 31 advertisers" from NA, APAC, EMEA, and LATAM from July-Sept 2022.
5 "Meta Ramadan Moment Study" by YouGov (Meta-commissioned online study of 13,232 people aged 18+ across 9 markets: AE, BD, EG, ID, MY, NG, PK, SA, TR). Minimum N=1500 per market, May 2022.
6 Global Consumer Short-Form Video Survey by Factworks. (Meta-commissioned online survey of over 12,600 consumers ages 13-64; Users of SFV content in AU, US, BR, DE, UK, KR, JP, IN and FR), Oct - Nov 2022.
7 "Impact of Creator Marketing on Brand Building and Shopping" Study by YouGov (Meta-commissioned online study of people ages 18+, weekly users of Facebook and/or Instagram across AU, BR, DE, FR, JP, MX, UK, US, Aug- Sep 2021)
8 "Business Messaging Usage Research" by Kantar. (Meta commissioned online study of 5,504 online adults in BR, MX, ID, TH, VN, UK, DE, ES, DR, IN, US), April 2022.
